


Five - Androzani

by GrumpyJenn



Series: River and the Doctors [8]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-30
Updated: 2012-10-30
Packaged: 2017-11-17 08:39:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/549675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrumpyJenn/pseuds/GrumpyJenn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Special thanks to DQ Bunny for inspiration</p></blockquote>





	Five - Androzani

**Author's Note:**

  * For [savvyliterate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/savvyliterate/gifts).



“Timmin,” River said. “I’ll replace Timmin. She’s the secretary - the aide to the man who tries to kill you - and she deposes him in the end.”

The Doctor smiled at her. “But you’ve already done that, my River. As - was it Diana? - to Van Statten with my ninth self.”

“I _want_ to,” she said fiercely. “I want to _hurt_ the people who try to hurt you, my love, and this is a grand opportunity.” She kissed him, as fiercely as she had spoken, and he murmured into her mouth.

“Shouldn’t like that. Kinda do a bit,” he admitted as they deepened the kiss, but she pulled away rather regretfully. “Time to go, my River? You’ll see,” he said, teasing, “Bow ties are cool... compared to lapel celery.” He grinned at her. “Met him again fairly recently, you know. When I was my tenth me. Tenth me used fifth me as a model for his regeneration, and there were fanboy squees everywhere.”

“And which you did you - eleven - use as a model, my love?” River asked, fastening the bio-dampener earrings on. He frowned as the second one snicked shut, dampening the tell-tale sense of _time_ that hovered around his wife.

“Didn’t have much control,” the Doctor said ruefully. “Crashing, you know. And the tenth was so... so very ill by then, I’d put it off too long because I didn’t want to go. I...” He shivered and River put her arms around him. He sighed. “I remember thinking that, and then I was _this_ me. That much apparent age difference - the last time that happened was the first me to the second... and come to think of it, the second favoured bow ties...” He trailed off, then shook his head as though to banish any negative thoughts. “You’ll see, my River.” His hand snaked out to grasp her wrist and he tugged her to him, kissing her. He unfastened an earring and let the time energy wash over him, and then fastened it again. “Be safe, my River,” he murmured into her mouth, and let her go.

\---/---

The Doctor was brooding over the half-built sonic screwdriver when the TARDIS’ Cloister bell gave a loud gong to let him know it was time to pick River up. Right. Back to the recovering face - not too cheerful but not too sad either. No spoilers. He heaved a sigh and flipped the levers required to land, then plastered his best half-smile on his face and snapped his fingers.

The doors opened, and River walked in, trying hard not to laugh. As soon as the doors shut she started to chuckle, that deep-throated chortling sound that made his knees wibbly. “Oh bless, that was fun,” she said, “I do love hurting people who try to hurt you, my love.” She walked to him and kissed him. “That you was certainly... dapper, wasn’t he? What d’you think he would have done if I’d done this?” she enquired, and kissed him again, much more thoroughly this time.

“My celery would have turned purple and I’d have to eat it, which would definitely have broken the mood,” the Doctor told her when they pulled away for air. “Or was that an allergy? In any case, yes, that me was very well-dressed. Not quite as well dressed as _this_ me, of course...” he trailed off as River pulled him toward her again, this time by the bow tie.

And as she kissed him she slipped off the earrings.

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to DQ Bunny for inspiration


End file.
